Boy, is this one confusing. You’d think a sign with the word aqua in it would be a water sign. Nope. Or that its planetary ruler is, say, Neptune. Wrong again. Aquarius is an air sign, yet water plays a significant part in it. It’s even symbolised by a young boy pouring water on the earth. Even that part is odd, considering that the later signs are thought to represent the later stages in life, with such virtues as wisdom, peacefulness, and humanity. So why a young boy?

Well, in Greek mythology this young boy was Ganymede, a mortal so handsome he was chosen by the gods to be their cup-bearer, and so ascended to the heavens. He represents the sheer physical beauty of Aquarians – Librans are attractive, but Aquarians are stunning.

As for the water confusion, the most logical explanation is that during this mid-winter time of year, the northern hemisphere actually thaws from its snows. The sign’s symbol, which shows two squiggly parallel lines, serves two purposes: its waves indicate the importance of water to the sign, but also wisdom. They were originally drawn as two serpents, one good and one evil; natives of this sign are therefore believed to know the difference well.

Aquarius’ planetary ruler is actually a combination of Saturn and Uranus. The two together form a curious duality: Saturn’s influence can be seen in an Aquarian’s cool level-headedness, while Uranus’ pull is in the need to be unique, modern, and unconventional.

You are the world’s humanitarians. You love people passionately, in large numbers. For this reason, you’re always involved in areas where you can make a difference for the betterment of humankind. Local politics, especially, is where you feel you can make the most difference, and where you feel the problems are most real.

When you’re not acting for social change, you’re often discussing it. As an air sign, you are a person of great ideas, an idealist and a bit of a dreamer, and you love to engage people in your vision of an ideal society. As a thinker, you’re quite logical, so your arguments are always compelling and believable. Combined with your humanitarian zeal, this makes you a popular choice for political or social leadership.

And once you decide what’s right, you stick to it. You hate compromise. Unlike Sagittarians, however, whose pride will not allow them to give in to a more logical argument, you will admit you’re wrong if someone else’s argument is stronger. But you’ll immediately turn it around and adopt it as part of your own agenda. As a sign of the people, you refuse to be placed on a higher level than your friends, even though you may deserve it. You distrust and dislike hierarchies – you’re a true democrat – so inequities of class and race fuel your ardor all the more.

Despite your social passions, you’re actually very solitary and independent more than people realise. (Another aspect of the two serpents in your sign, which represent good and evil, is a coexistence of other opposites: sociability and aloofness, selflessness and independence, politeness and rudeness. Some astrologers even believe the sign itself is comprised of complete opposites: those people who are the best in the world, and those who are the worst.) In any case, you’ve learned several tricks to maintain your independence when you need to: you let the answering machine pick up the phone at home, or you’re conveniently absent or late for appointments. Essentially, you make a point to interact with people when you choose to, not vice versa. This is not a negative trait, if s just you being true to yourself first and foremost.

The later zodiac signs are considered emotionally unstable, progressively more so in the sequence. You are known for being very touchy, especially when criticised. You have a thin skin – you’re extremely sensitive to comments from people, and easily hurt.

You’re also known for your fear of rejection. Quite often, you find it easier to explain yourself – or even ask for a date – on paper, where you can pour out your soul freely, and not be present for the potentially negative blow. This trait alone has led many Aquarians to blossom into passionate writers and poets. Much like the often misunderstood Virgo, your true self shines through on paper, revealing a sensitive, passionate soul that surprises those who only know your cool, independent public persona.

All of this emotional sensitivity, though, has its downside. If you can’t accept criticism, you can’t improve flaws in your character. Similarly, if you can’t face rejection, you’re not likely to survive and prosper in the real world.

Some of the criticism you’ve heard is probably oriented toward your curt, sometimes rude social manners. This is not because you mean to be offensive, it’s just that you find formalities a bit hypocritical and elitist. You’re a person of the people, after all, and you know your own mind, and you speak what’s on it. Those little things don’t feel right to you, so you ignore them. Of course, the problem is, you (and perhaps Sagittarius) are the only one who does, and this directness is not appreciated by most. No doubt you’ve experienced a few resulting social episodes by now.

You sometimes arouse envy in others because of your leadership position, your tendency to show off, and your impatience with others. You believe that when something needs to be done, it should be done right away, in a certain way, and you can’t understand why anyone should be slow or difficult about it. You’ll end up doing the job yourself if you feel others aren’t holding up their end.

Your natural aggressiveness is both commendable and dangerous, depending on how you direct it, of course. Arians are the war-starters of the zodiac if other astrological factors are negatively influenced. It’s best to keep this in check by channelling your fighting spirit into business or sports-related competition – you can win those battles and hopefully make yourself and those around you happier as well.

Aquarians are far and away the most physically attractive sign in the zodiac, especially around the eyes, because the sign rules that area (as well as the lower legs). Just as the boy in the hieroglyph is beautiful because of a few soft feminine features, so too is each Aquarian blessed with androgynous good looks: men will have a feminine feature or two, women a masculine few. Most Aquarians have angular faces, not round, and slight builds. Each step is rather light, and the independent streak shows in how an Aquarian manages to avoid bumping into people.

The list of beautiful female Aquarians, then, is quite long: Jeanne Moreau, Tallulah Bankhead, Mia Farrow, Kim Novak, Vanessa Redgrave, Princess Caroline, Geena Davis, Nastassia Kinski, Katherine Ross, Suzanne Pleshette, Princess Stephanie, Christie Brinkley, Barbara Hershey, Lana Turner, Tina Louise, Jane Seymour, Cybil Shepherd, and Vanna White.

Handsome male Aquarians include Clark Gable, James Dean, Charles Lindbergh, Placido Domingo, Rutger Hauer, Humphrey Bogart, Neil Diamond, Paul Newman, Wayne Gretsky, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tom Selleck, John Forsythe, Tom Brokaw, Nick Nolte, Robert Wagner, Burt Reynolds, Matt Dillon, and John Travolta.

As an Aquarian, you’re not much into sports, although you do enjoy being part of a team. This manifests itself in an interest in being on social committees or in charity groups. You’re also interested in scientific pursuits, so you’re happy to spend your time building a ham radio, or going to an aeronautics museum, or reading science fiction.